MADISON – The board charged with setting policy for the state Department of Natural Resources launched the process Wednesday for implementing stricter standards for “forever chemicals” in the state’s drinking water.
The Natural Resources Board approved a rule-setting process to update standards for the PFAS family of chemicals in public water supplies to comply with newly enacted federal standards.
The rule-making process will take nearly three years and will entail research by DNR staff, the formal writing of the rule, another approval by the NRB, and finally, an opportunity for lawmakers to weigh in.
The agency recommended the same numbers put into place at the federal level last year by the Environmental Protection Agency — 4 parts per trillion for PFOS and PFOA, and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPA-DA — that will require communities facing PFAS issues to step up drinking water treatment.
The new standards also suggest a health-based limit of 0 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, which can be used as a guideline for communities, but not enforced.